IA#37-04,  ----11/20/91  REVISED    ATTACHMENT 8/5/94


TYPE OF ALERT    : Automatic Detention and Increased Coverage

PRODUCT          : Mole Paste and Mexican Hot Sauces

PRODUCT CODE     : 37J[][][][]
                   37K[][][][]

HARMONIZED
CODE             : 2103.90.60705
                   2103.90.60901

PROBLEM          : Adulteration with rodent filth, cat and dog
hair, insect                       filth, mites and human hair.
(FLRF, FLCF, FLAF, FLNF, FLSM,                    FLNC)

COUNTRY          : Mexico (MX,595)

MANUFACTURER/
SHIPPER          : Various


MANUFACTURER/
SHIPPER I.D.#    : N/A

IMPORTER'S
I.D.#            : N/A

CHARGE           : "The article appears to consist in whole or in
part of a                       filthy, putrid or decomposed
substance or is otherwise                         unfit for
food." [Adulteration, Section 402(a)(3)]

RECOMMENDING
OFFICE           : Dallas District Office (HFR-SW140)

REASON FOR
ALERT            : Since 1982 numerous entries of Mole Paste and
other types                      of Mexican styled hot sauces
continue to be detained due to                    filth
contamination. It is believed that a major
      ingredient, dried peppers, are handled in an undesirable
                  manner that results in contamination by
insects, rodents,                      birds and other sources of
filth.

                   Surveillance of one major producer revealed
repeated                           violations; a consultation was
arranged between the firm    Page 2 - Import Alert #37-04

                   and Dallas District. Despite an agreement on a
course of                       action, DAL-DO did not receive
confirmation that these                         improvements were
initiated.

                   Subsequent testing of seven different lots of
Mole Paste                       (Dona Maria brand) revealed that
six of the lots contained                     violative levels of
rodent hairs, cat and dog hairs, insect                    filth
and mites. CFSAN concurs with the detention of this
      product based on the reported filth findings.

                   Shipments found violative in the past include
products                         labeled as hot sauce, chili
sauce, mole sauce and brava                        sauce as well
as mole paste.

INSTRUCTIONS     : Automatically detain all shipments of the
product                              identified from the
manufacturer/packer/shipper listed in                      the
Attachment.

                   Increased surveillance of similar products
from other                          manufacturers is indicated as
program time allows.

                   Method used by the Dallas Laboratory:

                   1) Basic pretreatment as per LIB #2866
followed by

                   2) Final extraction using AOAC 978.20 (60/20
Ethanol/Water)                       or AOAC 975.49(b) (40/10
Isopropyl Alcohol/Water)


KEYWORDS         : Mole Paste, Mexican Sauces, Filth, Hot Sauce,
Dona Maria,                      Herdez


FOI              : No purging required.

   Attachment A to Import Alert #37-04   REVISED 8/5/94


                  Firms/Products on Automatic Detention

           Firm                                    Product



NOTE: This revision removes only the firms/product which had been
subject to automatic detention under this import alert.
Firms/products which meet the criteria for automatic detention
will be added to the attachment of this alert as appropriate, in
the future.